WWUS83 KLBF 200059

RFWLBF



URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service North Platte NE

759 PM CDT Thu Mar 19 2026



NEZ204-200900-

/O.EXP.KLBF.FW.W.0014.000000T0000Z-260320T0100Z/

/O.CON.KLBF.FW.A.0008.260321T1600Z-260322T0900Z/

Eastern Panhandle/Crescent Lake NWR-

659 PM MDT Thu Mar 19 2026



...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING

THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT FOR RECORD HEAT, LOW HUMIDITY, GUSTY

WEST AFTERNOON WINDS, AND A SHARP FRONT WITH STRONG NORTH WINDS

LATE FOR ALL OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA...

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR

GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR THE EASTERN PANHANDLE...



* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 204 Eastern 

  Panhandle/Crescent Lake NWR.



* TIMING...Red Flag Warning in effect until 7 PM MDT this 

  evening. Fire Weather Watch in effect Saturday morning through 

  late Saturday night.



* WINDS...Southwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph,

  increasing up to 45 mph out of the northwest Saturday evening 

  behind a passing front.



* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 7 percent.



* TEMPERATURES...Up to 93.



* LIGHTNING...None expected either day.



* IMPACTS...Any fire starts will have a high potential to spread 

  rapidly and will be difficult to control.



* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...A sharp frontal boundary will arrive from 

  the north late in the day Saturday, producing an abrupt wind 

  shift and gusts up to 45 mph during the evening and overnight 

  hours.



PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...



A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions

are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible

Red Flag Warnings.



&&



$$



NEZ206-208>210-219-200900-

/O.CON.KLBF.FW.A.0008.260321T1600Z-260322T0900Z/

Sandhills/Valentine NWR/Nebraska National Forest-

Niobrara Valley/Fort Niobrara NWR/Samuel R McKelvie National

Forest-Loup Rivers Basin-Frenchman Basin-Loess Plains-

759 PM CDT Thu Mar 19 2026 /659 PM MDT Thu Mar 19 2026/



...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING

THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT FOR RECORD HEAT, LOW HUMIDITY, GUSTY

WEST AFTERNOON WINDS, AND A SHARP FRONT WITH STRONG NORTH WINDS

LATE FOR ALL OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA...



* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 206 Sandhills/Valentine 

  NWR/Nebraska National Forest, Fire Weather Zone 208 Niobrara 

  Valley/Fort Niobrara NWR/Samuel R McKelvie National Forest, 

  Fire Weather Zone 209 Loup Rivers Basin, Fire Weather Zone 210 

  Frenchman Basin and Fire Weather Zone 219 Loess Plains.



* TIMING...Saturday morning through late Saturday night.



* WINDS...Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 30 mph,

  increasing up to 45 mph out of the northwest Saturday evening 

  behind a passing front.



* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 percent.



* TEMPERATURES...Up to 95.



* LIGHTNING...None expected.



* IMPACTS...Any fire starts will have a high potential to spread 

  rapidly and will be difficult to control.



* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...A sharp frontal boundary will arrive from 

  the north late in the day Saturday, producing an abrupt wind 

  shift and gusts up to 45 mph during the evening and overnight 

  hours.



PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...



A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions

are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible

Red Flag Warnings.



&&



$$